Watch Notes

If your mechanical watch suddenly gains minutes a day instead of seconds, there's a good chance it isn't broken at all: it's magnetized. Phones, laptops and bag clasps are full of magnets. The good news is that magnetism is easy to test for at home and takes seconds to fix. Here's how. Under the balance wheel sits the hairspring, a coil thinner than a hair. Magnetism makes its coils stick together. Photo: Guy Sie , CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons. In this guide Why magnetism makes a watch run fast Signs your watch is magnetized The compass test How to demagnetize a watch Common magnet sources to avoid FAQ Why magnetism makes a watch run fast A mechanical watch keeps time with a balance wheel and a hairspring that "breathes" in and out several times a second. Most hairsprings are made of a steel alloy. If they're exposed to a strong magnetic field, the coils become slightly magnetic and cling to each other. The spring then behaves as if it...

Setting the date on an automatic watch takes ten seconds, but doing it at the wrong time of day is one of the few everyday mistakes that can actually damage the movement. Here is the safe, step-by-step method, plus a clear explanation of the "date danger zone" and why it exists. A classic date window at 3 o'clock. Behind it, a date wheel is slowly being pushed forward every evening. Photo: anna2005 , CC0 , via Wikimedia Commons. In this guide The short answer What is the date danger zone? Step-by-step: setting the date safely Crown positions explained Day-date watches Common mistakes FAQ The short answer Move the hands to around 6:30 first, then quick-set the date, then set the time. At 6:30 the hands are as far as possible from the date-change mechanism, so the quick-set can turn the date wheel freely. Avoid using the date quick-set when the time shown is roughly between 9 pm and 3 am . What is the date danger zone? A date doesn't flip instantly at ...

An automatic watch winds itself while you wear it, so why does it stop on your nightstand, and should you ever wind it by hand? This guide covers exactly how to wind an automatic watch, how many turns it needs, whether you can overwind it, and the small mistakes that cause most problems. The crown is used to hand-wind, set the date and set the time. Photo: Pittigrilli , CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons. In this guide Quick answer How an automatic watch winds itself How to hand-wind, step by step Can you overwind it? Watches that can't be hand-wound Setting the time and date safely How often to wind FAQ Quick answer If your automatic watch has stopped, unscrew the crown (if it is a screw-down crown), leave it in the first position, and turn it clockwise about 30–40 times . Then set the time. If your watch cannot be hand-wound (for example the Seiko 7S26 in older Seiko 5 and SKX models), gently swing or shake it side to side for about a minute instead. You cann...